schoolsbycounty

Harris County Schools & Education

School Score

32/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

87.4%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

87.4%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 91.6%

Per-Pupil Spending

$6,524

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,498

School Score

32/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 56/100

State Score Position

#236

of 253 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Harris County

Measured School Summary

Harris County faces educational challenges with a school score of 32/100 and a graduation rate of 87.4%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

At $6,524 per pupil, Harris County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 44% below the Texas average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 4.2 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 13% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Harris County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

1,144 public schools and 60 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

32/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #236 of 253 Texas counties with school score data.

Completion

87.4%

4.2 pts below the state average

Funding context

$6,524

$974 below the state average

School coverage

1,144

60 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Harris County has 1,144 public schools across 60 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

Parent decision brief

What Harris County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Large multi-district county

Harris County has many school records across many districts. County averages are only the opening screen; neighborhood-level assignment and grade-band fit matter more here.

State position

#236

of 253 Texas counties with school score data. The county score is 24 points below the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

HOUSTON ISD

Elementary to high school visible

189,934 students

Elementary 179Middle 42High 46Other 7

274 listed schools in this county slice.

CYPRESS-FAIRBANKS ISD

Elementary to high school visible

118,010 students

Elementary 57Middle 19High 15Other 0

91 listed schools in this county slice.

ALDINE ISD

Elementary to high school visible

60,074 students

Elementary 50Middle 15High 10Other 4

79 listed schools in this county slice.

KLEIN ISD

Elementary to high school visible

53,712 students

Elementary 32Middle 10High 8Other 2

52 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

HOUSTON ISD is the largest listed district slice, with 274 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Harris County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Harris County district systems?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Comparison context

Compare Harris County With Nearby School Markets

Harris County appears in curated regional school comparisons where parents commonly weigh county lines, housing tradeoffs, commute, and district boundaries before narrowing to individual schools.

Houston suburbs

Harris County vs Fort Bend County vs Montgomery County Schools

This comparison is useful when a Houston-area move could land a family inside the urban core, southwest suburbs, or northern growth corridor.

Compared with

Fort Bend County, TX and Montgomery County, TX

Current leader

Fort Bend County, TX at 55/100

Graduation-rate leader: Fort Bend County, TX at 94.2%

Education Overview

About Schools in Harris County, Texas

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

Texas's Largest Educational Infrastructure

Harris County manages a massive network of 1,144 public schools serving nearly 900,000 students. This sprawling system is overseen by 60 districts and includes 656 elementary schools and 205 high schools.

Houston ISD and Charter Options

Houston ISD is the largest district with 189,934 students across 274 schools. Charter schools are a significant factor here, making up 16.2% of all campuses with 185 total locations available.

Urban Centers and Massive Campuses

With over 600 schools in city locales, the average enrollment is a high 793 students per campus. North Shore Senior High exemplifies this scale with 4,569 students, while Texas Connections Academy serves nearly 9,000 students virtually.

School Overview

Total Schools

1,144

in Harris County

Reported Enrollment

896,372

1144 schools reporting

School Districts

60

districts

Charter Schools

185

16% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary656
Middle231
High205
Other52

1,144 Public Schools in Harris County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 248 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Level

Showing 20 of 1,144 matching schools

TEXAS CONNECTIONS ACADEMY AT HOUSTON

HOUSTON ISD

HOUSTON, 77042 / City: Large

Profile3–12CharterVirtual8,967 students

NORTH SHORE SENIOR HIGH

GALENA PARK ISD

HOUSTON, 77049 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High4,569 students

ELSIK H S

ALIEF ISD

HOUSTON, 77072 / City: Large

Profile9–12High4,118 students

DEER PARK H S

DEER PARK ISD

DEER PARK, 77536 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High4,026 students

HASTINGS H S

ALIEF ISD

HOUSTON, 77072 / City: Large

Profile9–12High3,930 students

KLEIN CAIN H S

KLEIN ISD

KLEIN, 77070 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High3,902 students

DOBIE H S

PASADENA ISD

HOUSTON, 77089 / City: Large

Profile9–12High3,870 students

ATASCOCITA H S

HUMBLE ISD

HUMBLE, 77346 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High3,829 students

CYPRESS RANCH H S

CYPRESS-FAIRBANKS ISD

CYPRESS, 77433 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High3,627 students

KLEIN OAK H S

KLEIN ISD

SPRING, 77389 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High3,621 students

SUMMER CREEK H S

HUMBLE ISD

HOUSTON, 77044 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High3,600 students

MACARTHUR H S

ALDINE ISD

HOUSTON, 77039 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High3,571 students

BRIDGELAND H S

CYPRESS-FAIRBANKS ISD

CYPRESS, 77433 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High3,544 students

PAETOW H S

KATY ISD

KATY, 77493 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High3,537 students

KLEIN FOREST H S

KLEIN ISD

HOUSTON, 77066 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High3,481 students

C E KING H S

SHELDON ISD

HOUSTON, 77044 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High3,473 students

CY-FAIR H S

CYPRESS-FAIRBANKS ISD

CYPRESS, 77429 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High3,425 students

KLEIN COLLINS H S

KLEIN ISD

SPRING, 77388 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High3,422 students

CYPRESS CREEK H S

CYPRESS-FAIRBANKS ISD

HOUSTON, 77070 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High3,366 students

JERSEY VILLAGE H S

CYPRESS-FAIRBANKS ISD

HOUSTON, 77040 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High3,364 students

Additional School Profiles

Dedicated profile pages are generated for a subset of public schools with broad enrollment coverage. All other schools remain listed in the county table.

228 more profiles

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$6,524

State avg $7,498

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Harris County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Texas counties have the highest graduation rates?
Moore County (98.5%), Rockwall County (98.5%), and Titus County (97.8%) currently lead Texas among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.
What is per-pupil spending like in Texas?
Across Texas counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $7,498. The highest current county values are Glasscock County ($12,819), Borden County ($12,654), and King County ($12,630). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.
How should I read the school score in Harris County?
Harris County has a school score of 32/100, which is a lower measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.
What is the graduation rate in Harris County?
The high school graduation rate in Harris County is 87.4%, which is below the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.
How much does Harris County spend per student?
Harris County spends $6,524 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Harris County, Texas — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Harris County, Texas?

Harris County manages a massive network of 1,144 public schools serving nearly 900,000 students. This sprawling system is overseen by 60 districts and includes 656 elementary schools and 205 high schools.

What are the major school districts in Harris County, Texas?

Houston ISD is the largest district with 189,934 students across 274 schools. Charter schools are a significant factor here, making up 16.2% of all campuses with 185 total locations available.

What is the school experience like in Harris County?

With over 600 schools in city locales, the average enrollment is a high 793 students per campus. North Shore Senior High exemplifies this scale with 4,569 students, while Texas Connections Academy serves nearly 9,000 students virtually.

Counties with Similar School Profile

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.